Detachable lift for shoe heels



Jan. 16, 1940. M. MAYOR DETACHABLE LIFT FOR SHOE HEELS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 11, 1939 5 I llllllll 4 E 7 J 2 l I lllll V: fi r l I l I I I l1 7 w 1/ INVENTOR. Maurice Mayor BY ATTORNEY.

Jan. 16, 1940. M. MAYOR DETACHABLE LIFT FOR SHOE HEELS Filed March 11, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 m m/ VF me ATTORNEY.

Jan. 16, 1940. M. MAYOR 2,187,167

' DETACHABLE LIFT FOR SHOE HEELS Filed March 11, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

Maur/ Mayor BY ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

5 or appliances whatsoever.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a plug, screw or stud which may be driven into or otherwise secured to the heel of the shoe to which the lift may be detachably secured, the

said stud or plug also acting as a reinforcement for the heel, which is often made of wood, and also to prevent same from becoming broken.

A further object of the'invention is the provision of a preferably metallic plate, mounted on 15 the said plug for protecting the outer coverings of the heels from scufling when the lift is worn away. The said plate also provides a smooth surface against which the lift securing means has surface contact.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gravity lock or bolt for maintaining the lift and its attaching means in place against accidental displacement while walking and also for unlocking the lift attaching means for replacement of a lift when the shoe is in inverted position.

Another object is to produce a device of the character described in which the maximum simplicity of construction and operation is secured.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and co-relation of parts herein fully described and illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views, and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims. 7

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter, therefore, is to be understood from .1 an illustrative, rather than a restrictive standpoint.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front view of a shoe heel partly.

in section, showing one form of my improved lift and securing means as applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is aside view thereof partly in section; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the lift carrying slide in the act of being attached or slid into engagement with the attaching plug, the lift itself being omitted;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the plug and plate in the act of being driven home;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional view showing the plug andplate secured to the heel and also showing in dot and dash lines the lift carrying slide being slid into or out of lift securing position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of the lift carrying slide;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to the lower portion of Fig. 1, but showing a shorter plug and a locking pin or bolt instead of the ball shown in Figs. l'to 3;

Fig. 9 is a fragmental sectional view taken on line 9-9, Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a top planview; Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line lI-l I, Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is an end view and Fig. 13 is a side view of a modified form of the lift carrying slide;

Fig. 14 is a top plan view of a still further modified form of the lift carrying slide;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view thereof, taken on line Iii-J5, Fig. 14; and

Figs. 16, 17 and 18 are plan views of still further modified forms of the said slide.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to land 9 of the drawings in detail, 20 indicates a heel which in women's footwear is often made of wood and which is usually covered by a Celluloid cover 2| and a tongue or apron 22, each of which laps over the under surface of the heel as at 23 and 23a re- 'spectively. Driven or otherwise secured to the heel 20 is a plug or stud 24 whichis provided with a central bore 25 which, in the present instance, due to -the length of the stud, is drilled only part way. Located in the'said bore 25 is a ball 26, the object of which will be presently described.

The plug 24 is provided at one end thereof with a 'T-shaped head 21, having tapering sides 28. Mounted on the said plug 24 is a preferably metallic plate 29 having a central bore 30 from which extend transversely a pair of slots 3| whose width is equal to the thickness of the flattened tapered stem portion 21a of the head 21. The overall length of the slots 3i is such that when the plu 24 isdriven home into the heel, the plate 29 will betightly up against the heel and cover the turned over cover portions on the exterior of the heel and a space 32 will be provided between the bottom of the said plate and the flange 33 of the head 21 (see Figs. 4 and 6) for the reception of a metal slide 34 which is driven into and fastened to a lift 35 by means of a prong-like legs 36. The lift 35 may be made of any suitable material as, for instance, leather, rubber, etc., etc.

The slide 34 is provided with a central bore 5 31 from which extend slot sections 38 and 39, the former terminating in an outwardly flared mouth opening 40 for ready engagement with the flattened and tapered head portion of the stud 24. The said slide 34 is further provided with spaced apart concave convex bead portions 4| which, when the said slide is slid into position, will engage head flange 33 and draw the plate 29 firmly against the heel 20. The lift 35 is routed out as at 42 to accommodate the stud head 21 and slide 34. In practice, when it is desired to attach a lift to the heel, the shoe is inverted so that the heel extends upwardly and the lift, by means of the slide 34, is slid transversely into position on the plug 24 until the end of the slot 39 contacts one of the tapered sides 28 of the head 21 in which position the bore 31 in the slide will be in alinement with the bore 25 in the plug 24. The shoe may then be turned right side up and the ball 25 26 will drop down and become seated in the opening 25a of the plug head flange 33. It will be noted that with the ball thus seated, the lift is positively locked in place and cannot be accidentally lost or kicked off, since the ball can- 30 not come out of the plug head as the bore is circular in cross-section and the ball cannot move forwardly or rearwardly. Likewise transverse or lateral movement of the lift is prevented by the ball and sides of the opening 25 in the flattened head stem 21a and by the bead portions 4|. It will further be noted since the lift slides into securing engagement transversely of the heel, and since pressure or shock due to walking or sliding or slipping can only be transferred to the lift at right angles to the direction in which the lift is movable, the said lift cannot possibly become displaced accidentally while walking. To replace a lift, the shoe is inverted from the normal walking position and the ball 25 will drop to the dot and dash position (Fig. 2) and unlock the slide 34 so that the old lift may be slid out and a new one attached in place thereof.

In Fig. 8, I have shown a slightly modified form of my invention, wherein I use a plug 24a having screw threads for screwing the said plug into the heel 20 instead of driving same thereinto. The said plug 24a like the plug 24 has a central bore 25b for receiving a pin 46 for locking the liftin place instead of the ball shown in Figs; 1, 2, 3 and 9. In all other respects, the device is identical with that described above.

In Figs. 10 to 13, I have shown a modified form of the lift carrying slide in which the said slide 34a is provided with an annular channel or bead portion 43, instead of the parallel beads 4| and in which the legs 43 are bent back upon themselves as shown at 50, Fig. 12, and are V- shaped in cross-section for the sake of strength.

and prongs 5|a. In the form shown in Figs. 14 and 15, I have provided a depressed bridge portion 53 at the mouth entrance 40a for strengthening the slide which is also provided with the annular bead 48 as in the form of slide shown in Figs. 10 to 13. The form of slide shown in Fig. 16 is identical with that shown in Figs. 14 and 15 with the exception that the bridge 53 is omitted. The slide shown in Fig. 1'7 is similar to that shown in Figs. 14 and 15, with the exception that in the said Fig. 17 form, I utilize the parallel beads 4| instead of the annular bead 48. The form shown in Fig. 18 is identical with that shown in Fig. 1'7, but, with the exception that the bridge 53 is omitted.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided means for attaching a lift to a shoe heel and detaching same therefrom without the use of any tools and the said lift will, when in place, be firmly locked against premature disconnection by a gravity operated look.

It will further be seen that the metal plate 23 will protect the bottom of the outer coverings of the heel as well as the heel itself. from wear when the lift becomes worn. It will also be understood that the weight of the wearer cannot affect the efllciency of the device as same is protected by the material of the lift. In fact, the complete locking device is so small that it will not interfere with the normal function of walking and may be readily attached and detached without any exertion.

Having described my invention, what I claim as i new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. For use in connection with a shoe heel, a lift attaching device comprising a plug to be inserted into the heel, the said plug having a longitudinal bore, a head on the plug, a lift carrying slide adapted to be detachably secured to the plug head, and gravity operated locking means in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the heel is in normal position and to unlock same when the heel is inverted.

2. For use in connection with a shoe heel, a lift attaching device comprising a plug to be inserted into the heel, the said plug having a longitudinal bore, a head on the plug, the' said head comprising a flat stem and a flange at the end thereof forming a T, a lift carrying slide having a longitudinal slot for detachable engagement with the plug head, a bore in the said slide intermediate the ends of the slot, and gravity operated locking means in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the heel is in normal position and to unlock same when the heel is inverted.

3. For use in connection with a shoe heel, a lift attaching device comprising a plug to be inserted into the heel, the said plug having a longitudinal bore, a head on the plug, the said head comprising a flat stem having a pair of parallel faces and a pair of tapering sides,'a flange at the end of the stem, a perforated plate having a pair of alined slot extensions for engagement with the plug stem, a lift carrying slide having a slot for detachable engagement with the plug head, a bore in the saidslide intermediate the ends of the slot, a beaded portion on the slide for frictional engagement with the plug attaching device comprising a plug to be inserted into the heel, the said plug having a longitudinal bore, a head on the plug, the said head comprising a flat stem having a pair of parallel faces and a pair of tapering sides, a flange at the end of the stem, a perforated plate having a pair of alined slot extensions for engagement with the plug stem, a lift carrying slide having a slot for detachable engagement with'the plug head, a bore in the said slide intermediate the ends of the slot, a beaded portion on the slide for frictional engagement with the plug head flange to tighten the plate against the heel, and a ball in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the heel is in normal position and to unlock same when the heel is inverted.

5. For use in connection with a shoe heel, a lift attaching device comprising a plug to be inserted into the heel, the said plug having a longitudinal bore, a head on the plug, the said head comprising a flat stem having a pair of parallel faces and a pair of tapering sides, a flange at the end of the stem, a perforated plate having a pair of alined slot extensions for engagement with the plug stem, a lift carrying slide having a slot for detachable engagement with the plug head, a bore in the said slide intermediate the ends of the slide, a beaded portion on the slide for frietional engagement with the plug head flange to tighten the plate against the heel, and a pin in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the heel is in normal position and to unlock same when the heel is inverted.

6. For use'in connection with a shoe heel, a lift attaching device comprising a plug to be inserted into the heel, the said plug having a longitudinal bore, a head on the plug, a lift carrying slide adapted to be detachably secured to the plug head, and a ball in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the heel is in normal position and to unlock same when the heel is inverted.

7. In combination a shoe heel, a plug extending vertically through the heel, a T-shaped head on the plug extending beyond the heel, the said plug having a central bore extending through the head, a plate on the plug head, a lift carrying slide detachably mounted on the said head, means on the said slide for exerting a pressure between the plate and head, and gravity operatedmeans in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the shoe is in normal position.

8. In combination with a shoe heel, a plug extending vertically through the heel, a head on the plug extending beyond the heel, the said head comprising a flat stem, a flange at the end of the stem, the said plug having a bore terminating in the flange, a plate on the plughead, a lift, a slide secured to the upper surface of the lift, the said slide having a bore and slot sections for releasable engagement with the plug headstem, means on the said slide for exerting a pressure between the plate and head, and gravity operated means in the plug bore for locking the slide to the plug when the shoe is in normal position and to unlock same when in inverted position.

9. In a shoe heel, a plug extending vertically therethrough and provided with a longitudinal bore, a T-shaped head on the plug extending beyond the heel for receiving a lift carrying slide, and gravity operated locking means for releasably locking the slide to the bore head.

10. In a shoe heel, a plug extending vertically therethrough and provided with a longitudinal bore, a T-shaped head on the plug extending beyond the heel for receiving a lift carrying slide on the said head, and gravity operated locking means for releasably locking the slide to the head.

MAURICE MZAYOR. 

